Advice for CCENT and CCNA

Hey everyone,
This is my first post to tech exams so I am pretty new at all of this. But here is my scenario. I am currently enrolled in a bachelors program for IT and I have one more semester. I am wanting to really start studying to earn my CCENT and CCNA. Any study tips or tricks that helped pass both exams? I am thinking of taking both at the same time. Any thoughts? Any insights and thoughts would be great.

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roch_greg

Welcome Aboard.

I would suggest starting off by visiting the Cisco Certifications Page and looking at the course syllabus for the exams.

If you want to get a CCNA Cert you could go the two test route, (ICND1 and ICND2) or just take the composite CCNA exam which is just one test. I personally have never heard of anyone taking the ICND1 and ICND2 the same day or time, there isn't a point.

You'll need access to some Lab Equipment (Routers and Switches) either real or virtual. In addition you'll need the study materials (either Cisco's own or one of the many books that are available by independent writers).

I would strongly suggest you start at the link I posted first and get a feel of what you getting into. That and trolling around the forum here.

Obtaining your CCNA isn't exactly rocket science, but it isn't a walk in the park either.

Good Luck

hellolin

It really isn't, at my internship place there is a network guy with over 10+ years of experience with Cisco stuff, never had to get any certs during his career, recently decided to take the CCNA and he failed twice already, this coming from a guy that is suppose to be shooting for CCNP. So no it is not a walk in the park in any other way.

zholling10

Thanks for the response. I will have to check out that link you gave me and just really get into it. My program requires me to do an internship to obtain my degree so I feel like I would be more marketable if I obtained my CCNA. Do you think that the CCENT is even worth it? Or should I go straight for the CCNA? I have access to study material, I am currently taking networking classes on campus here at school and we use CISCO Packet Tracer to do labs on a regular basis. I also have this book to study for the ICND1. I have just been so busy with going to school full time and working part time that I haven't really dove into the material yet. Again thank you for the advice. I really appreciate it.

BerkshireHerd

There is way too much info for me to try the one exam route, the ICND book I', reading is about a 1000 pages by itself!

roch_greg

hellolin wrote: »

It really isn't, at my internship place there is a network guy with over 10+ years of experience with Cisco stuff, never had to get any certs during his career, recently decided to take the CCNA and he failed twice already, this coming from a guy that is suppose to be shooting for CCNP. So no it is not a walk in the park in any other way.

I've seen that myself, for any cert. I might even say I've experienced it.

It's good to note that this doesn't usually mean the person doesn't know they're stuff. The way you work with a given technology might not be the same as the way you will be tested on it.

roch_greg

BerkshireHerd wrote: »

There is way too much info for me to try the one exam route, the ICND book I', reading is about a 1000 pages by itself!

Most people who haven't had much experience in the field probably do better with the two test route. At least that's what the proctor at the Testing Center told me from what she's seen.

So your not alone.